Welcome Spring
Walking Tours ~~~ Only 4 Tours Left
Our Mural Walking Tours and new touring equipment are getting rave reviews! So lace up those walking shoes and join us for a 2-hour stroll around downtown Punta Gorda seeing and learning about our historic murals along the way. We visit 12 murals and also stop and meet the artist painting our newest mural.
Weekly Thursday Tours - Now till April 4th 9:30am - 11:30am; Check-in 9:20am
Tours start & end at the Punta Gorda Chamber Office 252 W. Marion Ave., Punta Gorda
$15 per person (benefits
the Mural Society)Call the Chamber Office to
Register 941-639-3720
Tour size is limited - Sign
up Early
Here Fishy Fishy....
The Fish are Starting to Appear on the "TAILS FROM THE HARBOR" Mural
With the cold weather mostly behind us, our artist, Skip Dyrda, is making good progress on the mural. Stop by and take a closer look.
Last History Class for the Season
Attend Our HISTORY CLASS:"THE HISTORY OF PUNTA GORDA IN ITS MURALS"
Join us as we
present the history of the area as told through the murals throughout our
beautiful City. Visit all 30 murals from the comfort of your Air Conditioned
classroom seat while we present 450 years of history using the
murals as a guide. Hear about the Mural Society and get a sneak
peek of upcoming projects.
Presented in 2 parts:MARCH 25 - “Part 1 – The Early Years” - from pre-Spanish Exploration to pre-WWI.
MARCH 27 - “Part 2 – Post World War I” - picks up where the Part 1 leaves off continuing the story of our local history from WWI through modern day.
All Classes: 10:00am - 12:00pm (Noon) ~ Each

Season is here and there's lots to do
"Tails from the Harbor" | Mural Progress
Our Harborwalk mural has an official name: "Tails from the Harbor". The artist started painting in early January but was delayed most of the month due to the chilly weather. The temps have finally warmed up and now he can make better progress. Be sure to stop by, say Hello, and see his work up close.
Walking Tours | JOIN US
Our Mural Walking Tours are underway and the new touring equipment is getting rave reviews! So lace up those walking shoes and join us for a 2-hour stroll around downtown Punta Gorda seeing and learning about our historic murals along the way. We visit 12 murals and also stop and meet the artist painting our newest mural.
Tours are every Thursday Call and reserve your spot (941-639-3720)
Weekly Tours - Now till April 4th 9:30am - 11:30am; Check-in 9:20am
Tours start & end at the Punta Gorda Chamber Office 252 W. Marion Ave., Punta Gorda $15 per person (benefits the Mural Society)
Call the Chamber Office to Register 941-639-3720 Tour size is limited - Sign up Early
See and hear about ALL the Murals & the History they tell Attend Our HISTORY CLASS: "THE HISTORY OF PUNTA GORDA IN ITS MURALS"
Join us as we
present the history of the area as told through the murals throughout our
beautiful City. Visit all 30 murals from the comfort of your Air Conditioned
classroom seat while we present 450 years of history using the
murals as a guide. Hear about the Mural Society and get a sneak
peek of upcoming projects.
Presented in 2 parts:
“Part 1

Looking forward to a GREAT 2019
The Weather is Perfect for a Walking Tour ~~~ JOIN US
Lace up those walking shoes and join us for a 2-hour stroll around downtown Punta Gorda seeing and learning about our historic murals along the way. We'll visit 12 murals and also stop and meet the artist painting our newest mural.
First tour is this Thursday, January 10th - space is still available. Call the Punta Gorda Chamber and reserve your spot (941-639-3720).
Weekly Tours every Thursday | Jan 10th - April 4th
9:30am - 11:30am; Check-in 9:20am
Tours start & end at the Punta Gorda Chamber Office
252 W. Marion Ave., Punta Gorda
$15 per person
Call the Chamber Office to Register 941-639-3720
Tour size is limited - Sign up Early
Skip is at the Wall
The Harborwalk Mural has begun!
Our Artist, Skip Dyrda, started the Harborwalk Mural on Monday with layouts, measurements and paint colors.
He'll be painting during the week, beginning in the late morning hours (after the dew dries off). Stop by and take a look.
Again many THANKS to the City of Punta Gorda for the prep work and giving the wall a good rinse before we started!
See and hear about all the Murals & the History they capture
Attend Our HISTORY CLASS:
"THE HISTORY OF PUNTA GORDA IN ITS MURALS"
Join us as we present the history of the area as told through the murals throughout our beautiful City. Visit all 30 murals from the comfort of your Air Conditioned classroom seat while we present 450 years of history using the murals as a guide. Hear about the Mural Society and get a sneak peek of upcoming projects.
Presented in

Weekly tours every Thursday
January 10, 2019 through April 4, 2019
9:30am – 11:30am | Check-in 9:20am
Join us as we lead you on a 2-hour leisurely Walking Tour of our beautiful city stopping at our historic murals along the way. Learn about the local history depicted in each mural, when it was painted, as well as the artist.
See if you can find the objects hidden in some of them. You’ll also get an overview of the Mural Society, the process for creating these historic murals and a sneak peek at the current projects.
$15 per person | Tour size limited, sign up early! | Purchase online now or call 941-639-3720 to reserve.
Tours start (and Check-in location) at the Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce:
252 W. Marion Ave., Punta Gorda
New Equipment for Our Mural Walking Tours
We’re pleased to announce that we have purchased a professional portable wireless headset tour guide system funded with generous grants from the Shively Charitable Foundation and the Community Foundation of Sarasota.
During seasonal tours, traffic is heavy making it difficult for patrons to hear our tour guide. This new equipment will allow us to more effectively communicate with participants and increase the size of each tour.

Our Last Newsletter for 2018
GOOD NEWS about Our HARBORWALK Mural
We just got the news that FDOT (Florida Department of Transportation) has approved our application for the mural! It's been a long process (over a year) but it's finally done. A big THANK YOU to Weiler Engineering for donating their time to work this application on our and the City's behalf!
The City anticipated the approval and started the site prep work last week. If you visited the Harborwalk recently, you might have seen workers at the Mural site. They are contractors for the City and are busy prepping the area and the wall for our mural. The rusted rebar in the ceiling (overpass floor) was treated and will be repainted. The back mural wall was cleaned, regrouted and sealed and all the mural surfaces will be primed.
We'll give the primer time to cure and the artist will start painting after the holidays.
Many THANKS to the City of Punta Gorda for this prep work and giving us a clean canvas for the mural!
MORE GOOD NEWS
New Equipment for Our Mural Walking Tours
Last month we mentioned our partnership with the Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce to offer weekly mural walking tours starting in January.
This month we're pleased to announce that we are purchasing a professional portable wireless headset tour guide system funded with generous grants from the Shively Charitable Foundation and the Community Foundation of Sarasota.
During these seasonal tours, traffic is heavy making it difficult for people to hear our tour guide. This new equipment will allow us to more effectively communicate with participants and increase the size of each tour.
We

Our Fall Newsletter
(and a little history)
Update on Our HARBORWALK Mural
Good news on the permit front - Our public art permit application with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) was approved by the Tallahassee office. We hope to have the final signatures in the next few weeks. Our artist is still on schedule to start painting in December.
Mural Walking Tours
Will Start in January
We're pleased to be partnering with the Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce this year for our walking tours.
Join us as we lead you on a 2-hour leisurely Walking Tour of our beautiful city stopping at 12 historic murals along the way.
We'll also make a stop to see the progress on the Harborwalk mural and meet the artist.
Weekly Tours every Thursday, Jan 10th - April 4th
9:30am - 11:30am; Check-in 9:20am
Tours start & end at the Punta Gorda Chamber Office
252 W. Marion Ave., Punta Gorda
$15 per person
Call the Chamber at Office 941-639-3720 to Register
HISTORY CLASSES
"HISTORY OF PUNTA GORDA IN ITS MURALS"
Join us as we present the history of the area as told through the murals throughout our beautiful City. Visit all 30 murals from the comfort of your Air Conditioned classroom seat while we present 450 years of history using the murals as a guide. Hear about the Mural Society and get a sneak peek of upcoming projects.
Presented in 2 parts:
“Part 1 – The Early Years” - from pre-Spanish Exploration to pre-WWI
“Part 2 – Post World War I” - picks up where the Part 1 leaves off continuing the story of our local history from WWI through modern day.
All Classes: 10:00am - 12:00pm (Noon) | Each Class - $18 per person
2019 Dates: January 28 &

What's Happening
(and a little history)
This month's HISTORY CLASSES
"HISTORY OF PUNTA GORDA IN ITS MURALS"
Join us as we present the history of the area as told through the murals throughout our beautiful City. Visit all 30 murals from the comfort of your Air Conditioned classroom seat while we present 450 years of history using the murals as a guide. Hear about the Mural Society and get a sneak peek of upcoming projects.
Presented in 2 parts:
Monday, October 22nd 10 am - Noon $18
“Part 1 – The Early Years” - from pre-Spanish Exploration to pre-WWI.
Wednesday, October 24th 10 am - Noon $18
“Part 2 – Post World War I” - picks up where the Part 1 leaves off continuing the story of our local history from WWI through modern day.
FGCU Renaissance Academy
Herald Center Ct, Punta Gorda
To Register: Call (941) 505-0130 or CLICK HERE to register online
And now a little History...
Ice Cream Anyone?
If you've been in or near Gilchrist Park in Punta Gorda on Halloween you might have seen trick-or-treaters walking around eating ice cream. Maybe you thought that was a little unusual.
Well here's the cool history story behind it.
It started with a guy named Albert Waller Gilchrist, a civil engineer, who came to the town of Trabue back in 1885 as a surveyor and engineer for the Charlotte Harbor Division of the Florida Southern Railroad.
Under his direction, the tracks to Trabue were completed in 1886. He was also in charge of the construction of the railroad's terminal facilities that included a 4,200 foot Long Dock into Charlotte Harbor. This established the town as a deepwater port and regular steamship service began to Havana, Key

THE STAY-AT-HOME TOURISTS
Rusty Pray | PGH Correspondent
Rusty Pray is a freelance correspondent. Contact him at rustypray@gmail.com
Oct. 5, 2018 (Punta Gorda, FL) - Tony Caniglia and Sharon Sweeney, neighbors and companions later in life, one day decided they wanted to get away from the hum-drum of Deep Creek and treat themselves to a long weekend.
And what better place, they figured, than Punta Gorda?
And so, they decided on a staycation right in their own backyard–with all the fixins’: good food, interesting activities, and a place to sleep with all the amenities.
They booked a room for two nights over the Labor Day weekend at the new Springhill Suites at City Marketplace in downtown Punta Gorda and began what would become the quintessential tourist trip to Punta Gorda.
Tony is 82; Sharon, 78. They knew each other as friends before Tony’s wife, Linda, died in 2008. Sharon’s husband passed away in 2006. The two started dating in 2009.
Spending a weekend tooling around Punta Gorda was “something we’ve always wanted to do,” Sharon said. “Just because there’s so much going on here.”
They started to put the nontrip together on Wednesday evening at the Orange House.
“On the way out, I said to Sharon, ‘They just opened the Springhill. Let’s stop by on the way home,’” Tony said. “We did. As we walked through the lobby, she fell in love with the place.”
“I was so impressed with it,” Sharon nodded. “It was very modern, very inviting. I had the first glass of wine there.”
Seeing Punta Gorda’s murals was tops on Sharon’s to-do list. There are 30 of them, and they form a pictorial of the area’s history. The Hotel Punta Gorda, depicting seven famous guests of the old hotel, is Sharon’s favorite.
“I’ve seen a lot of the murals,” she said, “but you can’t really see them when you’re driving

This month...
Good News (and a little history)
First the Good News...
Fundraising is Complete!
Thanks to a very generous charitable fund grant from Bill & Zoe Hopkins and the awarding of a Charlotte Community Foundation Investment Grant, we have secured the remaining funds needed to create the Harborwalk mural!
We are thankful for all the support we receive from the Community and are excited to bring this amazing mural to our town. The start date is set for November (weather permitting).
The Harborwalk Mural Project
This mural will be painted on the retaining wall under the US 41 southbound bridge along the Punta Gorda Harborwalk. This walkway is used by more than 1000 walkers and bicyclists every day (2000 in season). It will capture our Charlotte Harbor marine life, past and present.
And now some History...
Henry Plant - The "King of Florida"
(Picture from the Henry B. Plant Museum)
If you’ve joined us on a mural tour or attended one of our history classes you've heard about Henry Plant and his role in southwest Florida’s railroad industry and specifically his impact on the development of Punta Gorda. He’s featured in our “End of the Line” mural on the corner of US 41 N and Marion Avenue.
You may have also heard of another Henry, Henry Flagler, whose focus was developing the east coast’s rail system. But did you know there was a connection between the two men? Flagler was one of the initial investors in Plant’s Investment Company started in Sanford, Florida in 1882.
Henry Bradley Plant was a Connecticut businessman who began building his empire throughout the war-torn south by purchasing

A little area history
The original Barron Collier Bridge
(Postcard from the Charlotte County History Collection)
If you've attended one of our history classes or a walking tour, you've heard us speak about Barron Collier and his influence on our area. We have a bridge named after him, he had a major stake in one of our early banks, and he bought, renovated and renamed the old Hotel Punta Gorda into the Hotel Charlotte Harbor (seen in the background of the postcard above), to name a few. But do you know why a county south of us is named after him? We thought we share a little more history about Barron Gift Collier Sr. and how his love of the southwest coast of Florida had a major impact on its development.
Collier was an advertising magnate making his fortune in New York City. He was introduced to our area when he visited a business associate on Useppa Island in the early 1900's. He started buying up large tracts of land, especially in what is now Lee County, and eventually owned over 1.3 million acres from Tampa south and east to Palm Beach. Road building was the craze of the day and a single road was being proposed to connect Tampa with the east coast. Several options were proposed including one to make use of the Cross-State Highway to avoid the Everglades. The Tamiami Trail option connecting Tampa with Miami (the combination of both names) eventually won out largely due to Collier's influence. In 1923 the trail was officially designated as a

Hope you're having a FUN Summer.
Here's the latest news from the Mural Society
HISTORY CLASSES
We recently divided our History Class into two parts and did a trial run last month. Over a dozen folks joined us for the new set of classes at the FGCU Renaissance Academy on June 25th and 27th, and the feedback was good.
This new format gives us a chance to present the material at a little slower pace, provide more time for questions and discussion, and allows us to share a few more interesting stories along the way. The next set of classes is scheduled for October.
"HISTORY OF PUNTA GORDA IN ITS MURALS"
Join us as we present the history of the area as told through the murals throughout our beautiful City. Visit all 30 murals from the comfort of your Air Conditioned classroom seat while we present 450 years of history using the murals as a guide. Hear about the Mural Society and get a sneak peek of upcoming projects.
Presented in 2 parts:
PART ONE | Monday, October 22nd | 10am - Noon | $18
“Part 1 – The Early Years” - from pre-Spanish Exploration to pre-WWI.
PART TWO | Wednesday, October 24th | 10am - Noon | $18
“Part 2 – Post World War I” - picks up where the Part 1 leaves off continuing the story of our local history from WWI through modern day.
FGCU Renaissance Academy
Herald Center Ct, Punta Gorda
To Register call (941) 505-0130
We Got the Check!
From the Community Foundation of Sarasota for the Giving Challenge.
We're happy to report the check amount was $1,000 more than expected with us receiving an Honorable Mention Prize

Looking for something FUN to do this month?
Join us for our next set of History Classes
"HISTORY OF PUNTA GORDA IN ITS MURALS"
Join us as we present the history of the area as told through the murals throughout our beautiful City. Visit all 30 murals from the comfort of your Air Conditioned classroom seat while we present 450 years of history using the murals as a guide. Hear about the Mural Society and get a sneak peek of upcoming projects.
Now presented in 2 parts:
Monday, June 25th 10am - Noon $18
“Part 1 – The Early Years” - from pre-Spanish Exploration to pre-WWI.
Register online at: https://bit.ly/2JIzcA7
Wednesday June 27th 10am - Noon $18
“Part 2 – Post World War I” - picks up where the Part 1 leaves off continuing the story of our local history from WWI through modern day.
Register online at: https://bit.ly/2y6Nrx1
FGCU Renaissance Academy
Herald Center Ct, Punta Gorda
Register at the links above
or call (941) 505-0130
We received a Prize for Best Event giving us an additional $2000!!!
So with the match from The Patterson Foundation
we raised a total of $14,000 for the Harborwalk Mural
THANK YOU again to all who participated in the Challenge!
The Harborwalk Mural Project
This mural will be painted on the retaining wall under the US 41 southbound bridge along the Punta Gorda Harborwalk. This walkway is used by more than 1000 walkers and bicyclists every day (2000 in season). It will capture our Charlotte Harbor marine life, past and present.

Punta Gorda Historic Mural Society Newsletter | April 2018
It's been a Busy Season
- 3 Mural History Classes
- 4 Mural Walking Tours
- Lots of Presentations to Local Groups
- Completed and Dedicated the "Ladies Remembered" Mural
- Had a Successful Giving Challenge Fundraiser for our next project
As we head into the summer months, we'd like to Thank YOU for your continued support
Hanging around this summer?
Join us for our next set of History Classes - now presented in 2 parts
"HISTORY OF PUNTA GORDA IN ITS MURALS" - HISTORY CLASSES
Join us as we present the history of the area as told through the murals throughout our beautiful City. Visit all 30 murals from the comfort of your classroom seat while we present 450 years of history using the murals as a guide. Hear about the Mural Society and get a sneak peek of upcoming projects.
Monday, June 25th 10 am-Noon $18
“Part 1 – The Early Years” - from pre-Spanish Exploration to pre-WWI.
Wednesday, June 27th 10 am-Noon $18
“Part 2 – Post World War I” - picks up where the Part 1 leaves off continuing the story of our local history from WWI through modern day.
FGCU Renaissance Academy
Herald Center Ct, Punta Gorda
Register after June 1st at www.fgcu.edu/hcc
or call (941) 505-0130
The Harborwalk Mural Project
This mural will be painted on the retaining wall under the US 41 southbound bridge along the Punta Gorda Harborwalk. This walkway is used by more than 1000 walkers and bicyclists every day (2000 in season). It will capture our Charlotte Harbor marine life, past and present.
The GIVING CHALLENGE
was

Punta Gorda Historic Mural Society Newsletter | April 2018
"Ladies Remembered" Mural Dedication
The Mural is Complete - Let's Celebrate!
Join us for the Dedication on Friday, April 13th 5:00 pm
Bayside Eye Center 314 N. Tamiami Trail, Punta Gorda
Followed by Drinks, Light Appetizers & Florida Desserts
Parking available at Herald Court Parking Deck
or east of Bayside Eye Center on Olympia (old USAVE lot)
Read More About the Mural & the Ladies
The GIVING CHALLENGE is coming...
The last Giving Challenge was September 2016
We raised $18,000 for our Firehouse Mural during the Giving Challenge in 2016. That project was completed in May 2017 and has become an amazing teaching tool for the hundreds of children (and adults) who have visited the mural at Fire Station #1.
It continues to educate, inspire and amaze.
We hope to do the same with our next mural project - The Harborwalk Mural
Harborwalk Mural Renderings
This mural will be painted on the retaining wall under the US 41 southbound bridge along the Punta Gorda Harborwalk. This walkway is used by more than 1000 walkers and bicyclists every day (2000 in season). What a great location to paint another educational mural. It will capture our Charlotte Harbor marine life, past and present.
During the Giving Challenge
Your online donation (up to $100) will be matched by
The Patterson Foundation
To make a Donation
On May 1st Noon – May 2nd Noon
Go to www.givingpatnerchallenge.org and search for “mural" to get to our Giving Challenge donation page.
Join us and our Giving Challenge partners, PGICA and PGI Green Thumbs,
for a FREE Bar-be-que cooked by Fire Chief Briggs at the PGI Civic Association
2001 Shreve St, Punta Gorda | 5-7pm | May 1st
Our mailing address is:
PGHMS | PO BOX 510506

It's that time of year and we are raising the remaining funds, through the Giving Challenge, to get the Harborwalk Mural up for our residences and visitors.
This mural will take you deep into the waters of Punta Gorda, a historic fishing destination nestled on the Charlotte Harbor. Florida's second largest estuary, Charlotte Harbor is beaming with eco-diversity and local fishermen have been providing some of the freshest seafood around for over 100 years. To pay homage to this water-centric lifestyle Charlotte Harbor has provided, the Harborwalk Mural will give residents and visitors alike an artistic glance into the waters they admire from along walking path.
BE THE ONE to help us Meet this Challenge
Noon on May 1st through Noon on May 2nd
The Giving Challenge donations can be made online at givingpartnerchallenge.org
or stop by and see us at:
The PGI Civic Association
2001 Shreeve St | Punta Gorda, FL | 33950
All donations matched up to $100
On May 1st from 5-7pm, have some tasty BBQ cooked up by Fire Chief Briggs
Mural Renderings
Artist: Skip Dyrda | Location: Under the Southbound 41 Bridge
View heading under the bridge:
View from under the bridge:
Presented by:
Strengthened by:

Help raise money for the Mural Society’s Harborwalk Mural.
On December 2, 2017, join City Manager, Howard Kunik, as he leads an informative bicycle tour of Punta Gorda. You’ll visit historic locations in the city, get behind-the-scenes information and preview other Founder’s Day events scheduled throughout the week. It will also include visiting the location of a new and exciting future mural.
Patterned after the popular Team Punta Gorda Pedal & Play Bicycle Tour, this is a leisurely bicycle ride for all ages with many stops.
CLICK HERE for more info and registration.

Two murals now adorn the inside bay walls of the Punta Gorda Fire Department and children from all over are visiting and learning about our first firehouse and the history of the Department.
You too can see them and learn about the history. Just stop by Fire Station #1, 1410 Tamiami Trail, Punta Gorda and have the firefighters on duty tell you all about them. If they happen to be out on a call, just scan the QR code near the plaque and you can read all about it.

This year our Giving Challenge Project was our Firehouse Mural. Punta Gorda Station #1 hosts 500-800 children a year for safety and fire training. What a perfect place for a mural that captures the history of our Fire Department.
We raised $18,000 during the Challenge getting us halfway to our goal of $36,000 for this very large mural. Thank you so much for your support!
If you missed the Challenge and still want to Donate, please go to our DONATE page.

Want to learn more about the murals you see around town? You can now quickly access the history behind the mural. We have installed QR codes on each mural. Just scan the code with your smartphone or tablet and you're taken directly to that mural's information and the history it depicts. It's that easy. TRY IT next time you're in town.
Find out even more by attending one of our Classes or Tour. Just go to the CLASSES & TOURS tab at the top of our page.

We are often asked, "How does a mural get created?"
To answer the question, David Sussman filmed the creation of The Life & Times of George Brown. Take a look at this time-lapse video to see the hard work and dedication that goes into Punta Gorda's Historic Murals.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=UgSfElsXwbI[/embed]
To view the video on YouTube, click here.
To Learn about the "Life and Times of George Brown," click here.